"What are you reading now?"

That's the question my husband always asks me when he sees me reading... and not a day goes by that I'm not reading.  I just finished "The First Phone Call From Heaven," by Mitch Albom.  Definitely a book that will now go up to the shelves in my third-floor library, alongside all of Albom's other books.

Ever since "Tuesdays With Morrie," I've read all books by this author.  His stories are all wonderful because they make you think, and all of them are filled with hope. What could be better than that?

I don't like to give away endings of books, so I won't talk much about "The First Phone Call...."  The title and the author's name got me to buy the book, the essence of the story and its characters made it hard to put the book down, and the hope and belief that the premise of the story could be true is what made me think. And think again.

No one wants a loved one to die. No matter what you believe about death and what comes after that last breath, it's the not really knowing for certain is what makes everyone so afraid.

That old song by The Beatles came to mind while I was reading this book....  the words "Love is all there is...."

And one sentence from this book that won't leave me for a while:  "When you believe, you don't need proof."

If you haven't read any of Mitch Albom's books, start by reading "Tuesdays With Morrie."  Whenever I find a copy of that book (or any of his others) I buy it and put it in my "Free Books To a Good Home" basket that I keep in the kitchen by the back door.  I'm always telling friends and neighbors to "take a book.... take two!"   And I always smile when they pick up one of Albom's.